White Horse Temple

Background

The White Horse Temple is in Luolong District, Luoyang, Henan, about 12 km east of Luoyang's old city and right beside the ruins of the Han–Wei capital. The temple faces south; along its central axis stand the Hall of the Heavenly Kings, the Great Buddha Hall, the Mahavira Hall, the Jieyin Hall and the Pilu Pavilion. The Yuan-dynasty statues of lacquered ramie cloth in the Mahavira Hall are among its treasures. The pair of stone horses in front of the gate dates from the Song dynasty. East of the temple, the Qiyun Pagoda is a 13-tier square brick pagoda with closely spaced eaves, built in the Jin dynasty (around 1175) and about 25 m tall. According to tradition, the temple was founded in the Yongping era of the Eastern Han (usually given as AD 68), making it China's first Buddhist temple, and believers regard it as the cradle of Chinese Buddhism. Contemporary records, however, do not mention it, and most modern scholars see the founding story as partly legendary. Most of the surviving buildings were rebuilt in the Ming and Qing dynasties and restored again in the 1950s and in 1973. The international zone west of the temple is a product of recent cultural exchange: the Indian hall, modeled on the Great Stupa at Sanchi, was completed in 2008 and formally inaugurated in 2010, and the Thai and Myanmar-style halls each have their own character.

Local customs

• Walk the central axis hall by hall, noting the stone horses at the gate and the tombs of the two monks Kasyapa Matanga and Dharmaratna
• look closely at the Jin-dynasty brick pagoda from its base
• compare the architecture and statues of the three countries' halls in the international zone
• rest under the old cypresses around the Qingliang Terrace behind the main hall, where the earliest sutras are said to have been translated.

Travel tips

• The temple grounds are large
• allow about half a day including the international zone. For tickets and opening arrangements, follow the official announcements. In summer, bring sun protection and water.
• The temple is about 12 km east of central Luoyang and can be reached by bus or taxi. Drivers can navigate to the White Horse Temple car park
• spaces run short on holidays, so arrive early, and check the time of the last bus back. The temple can be visited year-round: spring and autumn are mild and best for strolling, summer afternoons are hot and sunny, and winter brings fewer visitors and a quiet temple.